Range oil burner apparatus



2 Shecs-Sheet l J. S. ROUTEN RANGE OIL BURNER APPARATUS r I I l l I l l l l l l l In Oct. 4, 1949.

Filed Sept. 2, 1947 INVENTOR.

m /f// ///A J. S. ROUTEN RANGE OIL BURNER APPARATUS Get. 4, 1949.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. 2, 1947 m m m w.

Patented Oct. 4, 1949 RANGE OIL BURNER APPARATUS Joseph S. Routen, Wollaston, Mass.

Application September 2, 1947, Serial No. 771,580

This invention relates to barometric-pressure liquid-feeding systems, and more especially to barometric-pressure fuel-oil supply systems for range oil burners.

A barometric-pressure fuel-oil supply system for range oil burners has heretofore been provided comprising a vacuum reservoir disposed in proximity to the range and having an outlet conduit at its bottom through which fuel-oil was automatically delivered intermittently by gravity into a relatively small trap in such manner as to maintain a supply of oil within the trap at or adjacent to a predetermined level, said trap having an outlet at its bottom that was connected with the burner of the range by a normally open conduit through which the fuel-oil was supplied to the burner by gravity so that the level of the oil within the latter was maintained horizontally opposite the level of the oil in the trap, or approximately so, thereby to avoid flooding of the burner. also old to provide a system of this type with a main storage tank disposed at a lower level than said vacuum reservoir and holding a supply of fuel-oil, said main storage tank being connected with the interior of the vacuum reservoir by a valve-controlled delivery conduit and means, including a pump, being also provided for exhausting air from the vacuum reservoir through a valvecontrolled air conduit connected with said pump to cause the delivery of fuel-oil'from the main storage tank into the vacuum reservoir through said delivery conduit by atmospheric pressure to replenish the contents of said vacuum reservoir when such replenishment was required.

The present invention has for its object to improve the construction and operation of systems of the class just described particularly with refer ence to the means for replenishing the contents of the vacuum reservoir. A further object of the invention is to provide improved valve means for controlling the outlet conduit or port of the vacuum reservoir, the oil delivery conduit and the air conduit by which the pump is connected with the interior of the vacuum reservoir.

To these ends I have provided an improved ItiSL 2 Claims. (01. 15s 40) I the latter only when the pump is operated to exthe vacuumreservoir that is operable to close 55 haust air from the vacuum reservoir.

Other features of the invention are hereinafter described.

In the accompanying drawings: r

Figure 1 is an elevation, more or less diagrammatic, showing an illustrative embodiment of the invention. 1 Figure 2 shows, full size, a portion of the apparatus of Figure 1 with parts thereof in section.

Figure 3 is a central vertical sectional view of the valve fitting hereinafter described taken at right angles to its showing in Figure 2.

The embodiment of this invention illustrated in Figs. 1, 2 and. 3 comprises a vacuum reservoir Ill made at its lower end with a threaded nipple II on to which is tightly screwed the upper interiorly threaded end of a valve fitting l2, said upper end being made interiorly with a shoulder [3 between which and the lower end of nipple l I is provided a packing ring M of cork, leather or the like to provide a leak-proof joint.

Extending vertically and axially through the fitting I2 is an outlet port or conduit l5 within the upper portion of which is provided a transverse conical valve chamber [6, while the lower portion of said outlet port is the interior of a tubular extension I! provided at the lower end of the body of fitting 12. This extension I! may, as shown, rest upon the bottom of a trap or bowl l8 that is provided at the upper end of a stand H3 fixed in position upon a floor 20 which may also support a range 2| whose fire-box is equipped with an oil burner (not shown). A strap 22 surrounding the vacuum reservoir and fixedly attached to a post (not'shown) projecting upwardly from stand I!) behind vacuum reservoir ID, as usual, supports the latter in the vertical position shown. 7

Between the conical valve chamber l6 and the lower end of the tubular extension ll the outlet port [5 is made with branch outlet ports 23 (Fig. 3) which are disposed below the level of the top of trap l8 as shown in Fig. 2.

Within the conical valve chamber I6 is arranged a biconoidal valve 24 whose outer end is made with a threaded stem 25 extendin through and hav-' whose outer end portion is threaded to receive the bushing 26 which is exteriorly threaded and screwed tightly into the same with a packing ring 29 of leather or the like disposed between its flange 21 and the body of fitting l2 to provide a leak-proof joint. The outer end of the stem 25 is provided with a circular handle 30 by means of which said stem and its valve are manually rotated in one direction to seat valve 24 within its chamber [6 thereby to close outlet port or conduit l5, and in the opposite direction to open outlet port I and seat the outer conical end of the valve against a. conical seat 3| provided upon the inner end of the bushing 26 thereby to prevent leakage of oil outwardly along the threads of the stem 25 while the valve occupies its normal open position.

The bottom wall of trap I8 is made with an outlet port 32 connected by a conduit 33 withthe oil burner of the range 2}, said conduitbeing,

provided with the usual shut-oh. valve 34 that remains in open condition while the burner is in operation.

During the operation, of the burnerwithin the range that is supplied; from trap t8; the height of; the level of: the. oil within the trap varies up and down so that when said level is above the outer ends of branch ports 23; 23; no air can be supplied toreservoin Lil and. therefore no fuel oil will descend conduit I5, into the trap, but when said level descends far enough to uncover the outer; ends of. thebrancnports 23; 23, either in whole: or in part, air is. free to pass'up through conduit l5-into reservoiu ldwith the result that oil descendsthroughconduit i5" into trap it until the level of; the oil withinv the latter rises far enough; to again close the cuter ends of the branch ports. 23; 23; whereupon the flow of oil from the reservoir to the trap is stopped, for the reason that thenithere is no relief for the; vacuum within the upper portiongofi reservoir Iii. In this way-the top-of the bod of. oil} within thetrap is-automatically maintained at or; close to branch ports; 23 23,- thereby avoiding flooding of the burner within the range; and overflow from the rap.

Fixed in position upon any convenient support (not; shown) adjacent to the vacuum reservoir ill; is. a handoperated suction pump 35 whose inlet. 3511 has connected. to itone endof a pipe 3.6; which constitutes as. part of the air conduit referredto above; The oppositeend. of pipe 36 is flaredas; shownin Fig, 2 and fitted to the outer end; of; a biconoidalzgland 371 whose opposite inner-end.- is fitted against a conicalseat 38-pinvided; at. the outer, end of an exteriorly threaded nipple 39 projecting fromthe body of fitting I2; The seat 38.is provided; attand surrounds, the outer; endoig an angularport i-flformedin fitnting I2 and the opposite upwardly directed end of; this; port; is, threaded to receive the lower threaded end of a vertically disposed pipe M- whose' upperend is disposedqclose to the top of, vacuum reservoir. id. so that it is,;alwaysv above the. level ofthe. oil within said reservoir: An interiorly threaded coupling member 1 2-v is screwed tightly on to the exteriorly threaded nipple tfi and servesto securely1 clamp; the flared end of pipe: 36 againstnthe outeri endof gland 31; and the inner. end of: the glandv 3?. securelyagainst'the seat 38.

Theport All is formedintermediate itsv ends withan outwardlyfacing seat 4 3;for aaball check V&IVG-Q4,Whi0h is normallyv held; on saidseat by a coiled spring;- 45, Thus the check valve 44. normally. closes. the; airconduit but. is free to pe owa dt cuumrump-fiilwh nthelatter laminated Located in a position well below the level of the vacuum reservoir [0, usually in the basement or cellar of the building, is a main storage tank M6 (Fig. 1) whose interior is connected with the interior of the vacuum reservoir II] b the valve-controlled delivery conduit referred to above. This delivery conduit includes as a part thereof a length of pipe 46 whose lower end is disposed within tank I46 adjacent to the bottom thereof. and whose opposite end is flared and securely clamped in position upon the outer end of a biconoidal gland 41 (Fig. 2) by a coupling member 48. This coupling member is interiorly threaded: and screwed into position upon the threaded exterior of a nipple '49 that is part of the bodyof the valve fitting l2 and serves to hold. the inner conical end of gland 41 tightly in position against a conical seat 50 provided at the outer end of nipple 49.

Nipple 49 is made interiorly with a valve chamber within which is provided a ball checkvalve 5i thatis normally held closedagainsta: conical seat provided; upon the inner end of. the; gland by a coiled spring 52, and this valve chamber is; apart ofan angular outlet port 54.: having an upwardly extending inner end portion that is threaded to; receive the lower threaded end: of, aver-t-ical pipe section. 55. The upper end ofthe delivery pipe 55, is closely adjacent tothe upper. end; of: the interiorof the;- vacuum reservoir ill as indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 1.

When; the contents of: the-vacuum reservoir I0. is;to be replenished valve 214: (Fig. 3)- 155 first adjustedinwardly toclosepor-t after which pump 3.5-is operated to-exhaust air fromithelupper end of the interior; of: the vacuum reservoir and at mospheric pressure existing. within. the storage tank I45- forces oil from said: tank. upwardly through pipe 4.5, gland 4?. (Fig. 2), past ball check 5|, and through port. 54 and-pipe 55 into thevacuumreservoir l9;

Normally, however, the deliveryconduit 46- dl.545 5 is maintained closed: by the spring.

pressed ball check valve- 531 while the spring pressed; ball; check valve 44 normall maintains the airconduit,36 -3.l,-4GM closed; Valve 24- normally. occupies aposition: at the limit of its outward movement,v as shown inFig, 3-, andv is.

closed only temporarily. duringreplenishing-opera ations. 7

An apparatus. constructed as; above describedv is .ofsimple, eflicient, and comparatively-inexperiesive construction and-its .severahconduits areiso-- lated each fromthe others-atthevalve mechanismso that. the possibility-of; a; wet. pump is eifectually avoided. Heretoiore;. the-valve mechanismsof systems; of this; classutilizing suction. pump, have been so; constructed th at-;leakage occurred from one port to -another; andaccumulated withinthe pump which was; highly. objectionable.- The above-describedconstruction obviates this. objectionable. feature.

What I-claimis;

1. In a range. oil; burner apparatus the-com binatio-nwith a". vacuum reservoir; of a fuellsupply conduit. having one; end; thereof: communicating. with the interior of; said reservoirs. a; normally closed check valve in said: supply; conduit; that opens toward said reservoir; a:.suction= pump 5: an air exhaust conduit havin one end thereof; connected with the; inlet; of said pump; and. itsop.-

posite; and communicating; with, the: interior. of:

said reservoir; closely; adjacent; to; the; top; there-' of,;; a. normally closed-i check. valve within: said air; exhaust. conduit. that: opens toward: said pump; a trap disposed below said reservoir into which fuel oil is intermittently fed barometrically from said reservoir, said trap having an outlet at its bottom adapted to be connected by a conduit with the burner of the apparatus through which fuel oil is fed by gravity to said burner; an outlet conduit through which fue1 oil is delivered by gravity from said reservoir into said trap whenever the lower end of said outlet conduit is uncovered b the contents of the latter, one end of said outlet conduit communicating with the interior of said reservoir adjacent to the bottom thereof and the opposite end thereof communicating with the interior of said trap below the top thereof so that it is normally submerged in the contents of said trap; and a normally open manually controlled valve in said outlet conduit by which the latter is closed preparatory to operating said pump to replenish the contents of said reservoir.

2. A range oil-burner apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the bottom wall of said vacuum reservoir is made with a relatively perpendicular nipple; and wherein a valve fitting unit is fixedly coupled to said nipple that is made with three relatively isolated ports including a first port that is part of said fuel supply conduit and within which said first-mentioned check valve is arranged, a second port that is part of said air exhaust conduit and within which said secondmentioned check valve is mounted, and a third port that serves as the outlet conduit and within which said normally open manually controlled valve is mounted.

JOSEPH S. ROUTEN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

